I glared at him. I wished I had not brought him along.
But on the following day, we found ourselves at the Bennet household, except Miss Bennet was not there. She was at Trawlings with Lady Susannah.
I immediately felt the excursion to have been for nothing, but Richard was quite keen on all of it, and we all sat down together in the small sitting room at Longbourn with Mr. James Bennet and his mother. His father, the eldest Mr. Bennet, had come in to greet us and then excused himself, saying he had pressing business to see to, and he had fled before anyone could object.
“You must pardon my husband,” said Mrs. Bennet in her rich, deep alto of a voice. She was a very striking woman. “He and I do not spend a great deal of time in each other’s company, you see.”
“Mother,” objected Mr. Bennet. “Must we say such things to simply everyone?”
“Yes, I’m always hearing that criticism,” said Mrs. Bennet, chuckling. “I’m often being told that I must keep things to myself or filter this or hold back that. I am not that sort of person. Your father used to like that about me, you know.”
“And no one wishes to hear about that either,” said Mr. Bennet. “I suppose there is a reason for your calling today.”
“Just to be friendly,” said the colonel. “And for our own amusement.”
“Yes, why would two men like yourselves seek amusement here, in Hertfordshire?” said Mrs. Bennet, smiling at me as if the two of us were in a conspiracy together. “What is it that you find so interesting about this place?”
Mr. Bennet broke in. “You do not have to answer that.”
“Oh, James, always spoiling all my fun,” said Mrs. Bennet. She sighed dramatically. “You know, I have only two children, and I must tell you, they are both entirely serious. I always thought I’d have a passel of them, all of them girls, all chattering and giggling and screaming out their joys. I thought I’d have a house full of happy noise. But it is just these two, ever so quiet, and my husband, who cannot stand me.”
“Mother,” said Mr. Bennet firmly.
“I find it odd that no one ever asks why it is my husband cannot stand me,” said Mrs. Bennet.
“Because,” said her son, “you make them all frightfully uncomfortable with that sort of talk, and they have no interest in hearing you go on about things that are not their business.”
“Now I know this is not the case, in general,” said Mrs. Bennet. “I know that people are often quite drawn to hearing about things that are not their business. I think people rather thrive upon such things.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam spoke up. “Well, then, madam, why is it that your husband cannot stand you?”
Mrs. Bennet let out something like a giggle. “I don’t suppose he would like it if I told you that.”
“Mother,” said Mr. Bennet, huffing.
“But why have you called upon us?” said Mrs. Bennet. “I think you’re here looking for my daughter, is that the way of it?”
“No, of course not,” I said.
Mr. Bennet furrowed his brow at me.
Mrs. Bennet winked at me. “When I was carrying her, when she was but a babe growing within me, I used to rub my hands over my swelling belly—”
“Mother, this is not an appropriate tale to tell to company,” broke in her son.
“And think to myself that I hoped that if she was a girl, she was beautiful, for I knew there was little in the way of a dowry for her, and I knew she would not be sought after for anything else. But then Lady Susannah took her under her wing, and I was quite relieved, you know? Because the truth is, young girls are not at all very good at thinking of their future. Witness me, after all. When I was my daughter’s age—well, when I was her age, I was already married, of course. But when I was younger than she, when I was still seeking a husband, I did not have to choose Mr. Bennet. I had other options, and I turned them down, and do you know why I did that?”
“No,” said Mr. Bennet. “And frankly, we are all rather horrified to hear whatever it is you are saying now. You must keep these things to yourself, I should think, Mother.”
“Love?” said the colonel.
Mrs. Bennet turned on him, smiling widely. “Oh, you are quite the intelligent one, are you not, colonel? Yes, I loved him and he loved me, and you see how that turns out.” She laughed. “If you fancy yourself in love with my daughter, either of you.” She pointed at both me and my cousin. “Then I beg of you, leave her be. You will only bring down pain and suffering on you both. Marry someone you are mostly indifferent to. Indifference breeds tolerance, you see, and tolerance is what is best for a long association between people.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Mr. Bennet did not come to see me at the servants’ entrance, but he did have someone deliver me a letter that said he would be waiting for me on the grounds at an appointed time, and so, grudgingly, I went out to meet him.
“You know, I do not think it is wise for us to keep meeting this way,” I said. “Why do you not come and call upon me in the afternoon, like a normal person.”
